CHAMPAGNE Super Rovers caused a shock in the North Western and Pulse Senior Football League as they produced a superb counter-attacking display to upset defending champions British Legion.

Strikes from captain Dominic Irving and Ross Shields gave Rovers the three points, but it was the heroics of Declan Culbert in goal which stole the show, with a number of high-class saves keeping the Legion attack at bay.

The result took Rovers’ record to four wins from four, and ended Legion’s three-match winning streak.

That scenario looked unlikely early on as Legion dominated the opening minutes, creating chance after chance before either being frustrated by Culbert in goal or some last-ditch defending.

Against the run of play, Rovers took the lead.

A deep cross found Irving at the back post, and he showed tremendous composure with his head to loop the ball back across goal into the top corner.

Going a goal down did not affect Legion, with the pattern of the game remaining the same, both Iain McDonald and Damien Minnican being denied by Culbert.

Legion began the second half dominating possession but without the same penetration they had in the first. They almost come unstuck when Scott McDonald came close to doubling Rovers’ advantage on the counter.

Minnican almost levelled with a lob before another dynamic Rovers counter-attack put them 2-0 in front.

A fantastic through ball from Scott McDonald put Shields in, who then rounded the keeper before slotting home to seal the three points.

Red River moved into third place with a dramatic 8-7 win over Brad’s Lads.

Hat-tricks from Keith Holmes and Joshua Jones, along with two Lewis Jones strikes, sent River on their way. Sean Darby (3), Chris Bolton (3) and Josh Thompson (2) netted to no avail for Brad’s Lads.

Owen Price’s men were in control at 4-1 up before Brad’s Lads produced a tremendous fightback to make it 4-4.

River pulled clear once again at 8-5 in front, but Brad’s Lads still would not give it up, scoring twice in the last few minutes to set up a nervy ending, Red River eventually holding on for a hard-fought three points.

Harchester moved four points clear at the top with a 10-4 win over Barrow fans while Let’s Get Messi sealed a well-deserved first victory of the campaign, beating Ramshead 5-2.

STANDINGS

P

W

D

L

PF

PA

Pts

Harchester United

6

5

1

0

45

17

16

Champagne Super Rovers

4

4

0

0

15

1

12

Red River

6

3

1

2

26

34

10

British Legion

5

3

0

2

19

5

9

Furness Rangers

3

2

0

1

10

9

6

Brad's Lads

4

2

0

2

19

20

6

Dean Machine

4

1

0

3

10

22

3

Let's Get Messi

6

1

0

5

15

28

3

Barrow Fans

2

0

0

2

4

11

0

Ramshead

4

0

0

4

4

20

0